Fated Farewell
by Dracomancer
Summary: With Aizen's plot finally unfolding he intercepts Renji to take Rukia, but Renji and Ichigo team up to try to take her back. They fail as Aizen lectures on the purpose of Hougyoku until he is intercepted by Kein Marasuna. Can she save Rukia and Ichigo?
1. Last Minute Saviors

**The previous story to this is **"Chance Meeting"

**Last Minute Saviors**

Being carried in Ichigo's arms had a soothing affect on Kein as she easily succumbed to her exhaustion and passed out. However, she would often have reoccurring dreams of her past when she was still alive in the human world. These were suppressed memories that haunted her as nightmares that she had long since forgotten and couldn't make sense of them. The shock from the nightmare had woken her. Her body jolted as she found herself laying upon the ground within the underground sewage ways. She looked up to find Ichigo sitting Indian style next to her.

The two stared blankly at each other for a few seconds before Ichigo finally said, "I guess you weren't kidding when you said you'd be passed out for a while."

Her expression showed confusion as she replied, "I…I-Ichi…go?" His same stern usual expression softened a bit as he asked, "Are you alright?" A bit dazed and confused, she looked around to find that behind Ichigo was a familiar face, but upon the ground also laid another.

"Ganju, it's good to see you, but Hanataro…what…is he doing here?"

"Wait, you don't remember?" Ganju asked back a bit surprised. She tried to sit up, but her body was too weak.

"W-What do you mean…remember?"

Ganju and Ichigo glanced at each other for a moment before Ichigo replied, "You were conscious when we ran into Hanataro and just before my fight with Renji." Kein gasped at the name drop, "Renji? You…you fought him too? But, you don't have a scratch on you. I don't…I don't understand. What's going on?"

Ichigo sighed a bit as he explained, "On the way here, Renji intercepted us. I fought him and won, but not without heavy injuries. Ganju brought us all here and Hanataro healed me and Ganju, but it zapped his energy and he's been passed out for the last some odd hours. He's going to heal you next and then we're going to lea…"

"…you don't have time for that," Kein interrupted.

Kein didn't need explanation for Hanataro helping them. She knew him well enough to know that he always tried his best to have good intentions and help others and that it was _right_ to help them get to Rukia. At least she assumed that's what he was doing. She smiled at the thought as she continued, "I told you, I can heal on my own. Besides, his kido won't work on me as affective as it would on you and Ganju. Remember when I said that my kido powers were rendered useless? Well in the reverse sense it has the same consequence. I can neither use kido nor be healed by it."

Ichigo and Ganju gasped slightly, shocked at what she had explained to them.

"But then, how do you recover? What happens when you get near fatal injuries?" Ichigo asked with a hint of concern in his tone.

She merely replied nonchalantly, "By waiting. My body and energy can absorb surrounding reiatsu a lot faster than your normal shinigami. It's similar to how my Zanpakuto works by absorbing reiatsu to keep itself from being broken. In that same sense, it only takes a couple of days for me to be fully restored _regardless_ of the injuries I receive, be it small or near fatal."

The small look of concern on Ichigo's face disappeared as she further explained, "Even if he _could_ heal me, I wouldn't let him. Time isn't exactly on your side. You need to get to Rukia as soon as possible. I'll be fine here. This is actually a very ideal location to hide away and let myself heal. If you haven't saved Rukia by the time I heal, I promise I'll come back to you one way or another. So please, for now, leave me here."

A small moment of silence fell amongst the three before she requested, "Ganju, the next time you see your sister tell her I said hello." She smiled as Ganju happily replied, "No problem Kein. I'll make sure the message goes through!" Feeling reassured about the situation, Kein rested her head back as she closed her eyes and fell asleep once more.

…_Two Days Later…_

Rukia's execution date had been shortened to within two days of Ichigo's training to bring out his Bankai form of Zangetsu, but with an unrelenting will power he managed to succeed and intercept Rukia's execution along with the help of two captains; Ukitake and Kyoraku. Many fights broke out as Ukitake and Kyoraku took on the top lead captain of the Gotei 13, Yoruichi against Soi, and the battle against Ichigo and Byakuya.

Each party fought bravely and stood for their beliefs on what was right and wrong. Ichigo had won against Byakuya and as the final battles was coming to a close, however out of all the captains there was a traitor amongst them. All along Sousuke Aizen had been plotting his game of chess for decades as his final move was about to take place. Renji was in charge of taking Rukia away from the execution grounds, but as he was making his way towards the main center of Seireitei he ran into Tousen.

Without much banter or conversation, Tousan surrounded Renji and Rukai with an enchanted long type of cloth as they were all engulfed within its barrier. It wasn't long before Renji suddenly found himself right back at the execution grounds. Confusion overtook him as he looked around wondering if maybe he was hallucinating as an eerie dark toned voice rang out, "Welcome Abarai." Quickly turning his head towards the voice, he looked behind him to see who was standing there.

"Captain Aizen! No way…" he stated in shock as he laid his eyes on the man standing next to Aizen "…Ichimaru!"

It was gravely hard for him to see Aizen standing before him considering, but a day ago that Aizen was found pinned by sword against a wall and claimed to be dead. It was a double conspiracy going on that Aizen had carefully plotted out.

"Just what does this mean?"

Renji asked silently to himself as Aizen merely smiled and replied, "Put down Kuchiki Rukia and leave." A small silence fell between the two, Renji still in shock as he asked "Captain Aizen why are you alive? Rather, what did you say?"

"Strange, you're supposed to listen to me," Aizen replied nonchalantly as he repeated one more time "Put down Kuchiki Rukia and leave, Abarai." Before another word could be spoken, suddenly a kido spell was cast and connected to all the captains and Shinigamis including the ryoka as a voice spoke out.

_"Those of Captain, Vice-Captain, or Deputy-Captain status in the 13 Squads, as well as all the ryoka, this is the 4th Squad Vice-Captain Kotetsu Isane. This is an emergency. This is an emergency message from the 4th Squad Captain Unohana Retsu and I. Everything that I am about to tell you is true…"_

Isane further explained to everyone present of the twisted plot conspiracy that Aizen had construed and was now an enemy of Soul Society along with the annihilation of Room 46 and his conspirators; Tousen and Gin. Ichigo and the others were on their way down from the execution grounds as they stopped midway on the stairs to listen to the message. Ichigo asked in curiosity, not quite understanding what was going on to its fullest

"Was that true just now?"

Ganju replied "Yeah, it could be one of the enemy's traps."

Ishida knew better however as he exclaimed "No, it seems like it was the truth. Can't you feel it, Kurosaki? The reiatsu that have appeared above us?" Ichigo closed his eyes as he focused his energy and concentration on the surrounding reiatsus.

His eyes flashed open in surprise as he burst out, "Rukia!" They made their way back towards Rukia to do their best to stop the confrontation. Aizen continued to smile through his teeth at Renji, "What?" Renji retorted once more, "I said that I refuse, Captain Aizen!"

"I see."

Gin placed a hand upon the hilt of his sword, ready to intercept the matter, but Aizen interrupted his actions "It's okay, Gin" as he began to approach Renji.

"It's because you're stubborn, Abarai. It can't be helped if you refuse to just put down Kuchiki Rukia and leave. I'm also trying to understand your feelings. You may hold onto Kuchiki Rukia."

Aizen withdrew his sword, taking his sweet time to reach Renji as he further stated "Just leave your arms behind." Renji, sensing Aizen was going to attack, quickly dashed backwards as within an instant blood began to spatter upon the ground.

"Renji…"

Rukia stated his name with concern as Aizen interrupted with a hint of surprise, "My, my. You've become rather good at dodging, haven't you, Abarai?" Renji's right arm was covered in blood as it was nearly cut off, but his sword was in hand, ready for Aizen's next move.

"You've improved. I'm happy. However, I don't want this to get too sticky. It's difficult to hold back my strength so that I do not crush an ant when I step on it. As your former superior officer, it would be unbearable to let you die." Aizen waited for Renji to reply as Rukia called his name out again.

"Be quiet, Rukia! What's with "It would be unbearable to let you die"? Then why did you kill Hinamori?"

Aizen merely flinched ever so slightly as he opened his mouth to speak but then closed it along with his eyes as a few short memory spouts of Hinamori flashed through his mind.

"She couldn't live without me. That's how I trained her. Don't you think killing her was out of pity?"

Renji gasped at the strange logic that Aizen was trying to portray. "But it's true that I didn't' want to deal with her. That's why I went through the slight effort of trying to get Kira and Hitsugaya to kill each other. But it didn't go very well. So I had no choice but to kill her."

Renji gritted his teeth in anger as blood continued to drip from his arm.

"Really? Kira and Hinamori were just being rolled across the palm of your hand!"

Aizen gazed upon him with silence as he replied, "You too, Abarai." In irritation Renji retorted "I fully understand. You are no longer the Captain Aizen that I knew! I don't know what your reasons are, but I won't hand over Rukia even if it kills me!"

Aizen cocked an eyebrow as he exclaimed, "I am no longer the Aizen Sousuke that you knew? Unfortunately, that was all an illusion, Abarai. The Aizen Sousuke that you knew didn't exist from the start." In anger Renji dashed forward and leapt into the air to bring down a striking blow.

"Roar, Zabimaru!"

Aizen sighed, "Shikai?" as he lifted up his sword and easily deflected Renji's attack.

"It won't be effective with your body like that. It won't even buy you time."

Renji rolled his attack back and continued to strike at Aizen. "I don't understand!"

"Heh, such a troublesome child," he replied as with but one hand he stopped Renji's extending blade in its track. _"With his bare hands?"_ Renji thought to himself, shocked. "Out of those three people, you were the most dangerous, after all, Abarai" Aizen continued to banter playfully. And within that moment Aizen lifted his blade and quickly struck it down as Renji's Shikai was shattered into multiple pieces and within that same moment blood splattered profusely from Renji's back as he fell upon his knees, Rukia still in his arms.

"Renji!" She cried out. Renji could see a pair of shoes upon the ground in front of him as he knew Aizen was now before him.

"I was certain. When I first met the three of you I was certain that I could use you. That's why I had the three of you immediately join the 5th Squad when you joined the 13 Squads. And I made the two that seemed useful become my and Gin's subordinates. I quickly sent you, who seemed dangerous, to a different squad. It seems that my intuition was correct."

Renji continued to pant as Rukia looked on at him in sorrow. There was nothing she could do.

"This is the end. Put down Kuchiki Rukia and leave."

"Please wait, Captain Aizen! I will…" Rukia began but "…I refuse!" Renji interrupted."

"Renji…Renji…"

"…I won't leave her." His hand grasped tightly onto Rukia's back "Who…who would leave her, you idiot?" Aizen lifted his blade "I see. Too bad." He was going to strike the final blow, but within the last second a lightning speed reiatsu flashed by as Aizen's blade was stopped by another that was in a shiny sheer black color.

"Yo," a familiar voice spoke as Renji found himself in the shadowy darkness of a shredded like shinigami robe. "What's wrong? Kneeling down like that makes Rukia seem really heavy. I've come to help, Renji!"

Ichigo had once again come at the last second to save the day as the two quickly dashed back away from Aizen. Aizen gazed upon the orange haired ryoka as this was his first time meeting Ichigo face to face.

"Ichigo…"

"…yeah…"

"…sorry. You've come to save me…"

"…What?" Ichigo turned his head to look at Renji as a grin creased across his face. "You've gotten pretty beaten up just carrying Rukia around. The luggage was too heavy for you to even run away with, after all, huh?"

Renji jeered back with a half assed smile, "What's with that? You look pretty rattled yourself. Shouldn't you be huddled in bed instead of coming to a place like this?" The two got in each other's face as Ichigo retorted, "What did you say? Is that something you say to the guy who came to save you?"

"Are you stupid? I tried to thank you! But you…"

Suddenly grumbling muffles could be heard from Renji's chest as the two both looked down to find that Renji had accidentally kept Rukia's head pressed against his chest too hard as she was barely able to breathe. Finally getting a breather she punched Renji in an uppercut manner into his jaw.

"Am I fighting to break the record in holding my breath? Getting into the conversation while holding me to your chest with all your strength!" Rather unamused by the group's antics, Gin finally spoke out "I thought that I shouldn't do anything, so I ignored that kid's coming up from the side."

"Yeah, its okay. No real difference between wiping off one piece of dust, or two. There's no difference that the eyes can see." Renji and Ichigo cast their gaze back onto Aizen as Ichigo asked, "That guy's Aizen?" "Yeah," Renji answered.

"Do you have enough strength to escape?" Ichigo asked Renji.

"I do, but I'm going to fight. Even you should recognize that running is pointless. I won't say that we have to defeat him. We just have to make it so that somehow he can't move while we get away from here nobly."

Ichigo furrowed his eyebrows as he replied, "Heh, there's no helping it. So shall we try out our united front?" Renji separated from Ichigo's side as he placed his blade up against his palm.

"I can only use this technique once, but if this attack hits, then the enemy will definitely be left open. Please take that opening."

Renji's blade began to emit smoke as he held it out firmly. "Got it." Renji gazed upon Zabimaru as he thought to himself _"This may hurt a little bit, but please try to endure, Zabimaru."_ He then slammed his blade into the ground as he yelled...

"Let's go, Zabimaru! Higa Zekkou!"

Renji's body glowed a bright reddish pink as the broken bladed pieces of Zabimaru began to resonate the same aura as they floated into mid air. They floated gently above Aizen's head for a moment, but then came crashing down upon him. Ichigo then used this moment to rush in as he swung Zangetsu with a ferocious velocity as he was ready for the strike to hit, but suddenly all was stopped as Aizen merely lifted up one finger and stopped the blade. He curled the finger onto the blade as suddenly Ichigo's body exploded forth blood.

"Oh my. I tried to cut him in half at the waist. So it was too shallow?"

Renji looked on in shock, "No…No way! Impossible!" Ichigo stumped over at Aizen's feet as the captain dashed away and landed a few inches behind Renji, blood spattering from the Shinigami's shoulder.

"Damn it!" He fell flat upon his face from the attack as Aizen began to approach Rukia. She gasped in horror seeing her friends laying face upon the ground in their own blood.

"Ichigo, Renji!" _"My body won't move!"_

"Now stand up, Kuchiki Rukia," Aizen demanded as he grabbed onto her collar and brought her to her feet. "Hm? Ah, I see. Being hit by my reiatsu has made your body go into paralysis."

Suddenly small grunts could be heard in the distance as Aizen looked over at Ichigo, watching the boy slowly forcing his arm to push himself up from the ground.

"Poor thing. He's still conscious. Your actual strength and your strength to live not meeting up has become your Achilles ' heel, but you should stop. You have already been very helpful. Your part is over now."

"My…part?" Ichigo struggled in question.

"That's right. I knew that you would sneak into Western Rukongai. That's why there was already a guard when you got there. In the case that something should happen, Gin would go get you directly. He increased the chances of you falling into my hands. Seirei-heki was brought down. If the captains were hanging out on the inside of the walls, then the only way to break in was through Shiba Kuukaku's Flower Crane Cannon. It was a flashy break in. On top of that, those intruders were strong enough to make the captains run about. For better or worse, inside Seireitei the Shinigami's eyes were focused on that. Actually, your movement inside of the grounds was wonderful. As a result, it wouldn't create a big stir even if a captain was killed. It was very easy to move about."

Ichigo gasped as he did his best to try to move himself.

"Wait. How did you know that we would be coming from Western Rukongai?"

"You ask a strange question. It's obvious isn't it? It's because Nishi Rukongai is Urahara's Kisuke's base. The only place that you can break in using the Zenkaimon that he makes is Western Rukongai."

Ichigo gasped, trying to understand what Aizen was explaining to him.

"What's with that expression? You're his underlings, aren't you? Didn't you come here under Urahara Kisuke's orders to take back Kuchiki Rukia?"

"W-What do you mean?"

"I see. It seems that you haven't heard anything about it. Very well."

Seeing as he misinterpreted Ichigo's intentions, he began to drag Rukia along as he continued to explain, "This is the end so I shall tell you. Did you know that there are four essential ways for a Shinigami to fight? Zanjutsu; cutting techniques, Hakuda; bare hand techniques, Hohou; walking methods, and Kidou; demon arts. Those are the four methods. However, all of those have a limit to their strength. Whichever skill you master, your Shinigami soul's strength will hit a wall. That's where the growth stops. In other words, that is the Shinigami's limit. Then isn't there a way to break through it and surpass all of the limits to your abilities? There is. There's just one way. That is the transformation of a Shinigami into a Hollow."

The word _Hollow_ flashed through Ichigo's mind as he thought about what happened during his fight with Kein when her inner Espada appeared and then with Byakuya when his inner Hollow surfaced for the first time as Kein had warned him.

"By breaking down the wall that separates the two opposites, that being is able to climb to a higher level just as you witnessed when fighting Kein Marasuna. Although she is incapable of using Kidou, still her power soars with unfathomable strength from the Hollow inside her. It is from this theory began a desire. That's why I even tried out various Shinigami-Hollow transformation experiments. Hollows that can hide their own reiatsu, Hollows that can make a Zanpakutou disappear just by touching them, and Hollows with the ability to fuse together with Shinigami, which is what Kein's Hollow was able to do. No matter how much I expected from them, it never turned out right."

Aizen continued to lecture nonchalantly as he dragged Rukia past Renji and Ichigo.

"In the end, neither myself, nor all of the others, could find out how to do it. In exchange for my silence upon Kein's incident with the merging of herself and her Hollow, Ernesto, she would have to allow me to experiment upon her in order to figure out the dimensions that separate Hollow and Shinigami and how both can coexist within one being, but she refused. However to her luck, Urahara Kisuke made a way. It could cross over the barrier between Hollow and Shinigami within a moment. It was a product that surpassed Soul Society's common knowledge. That thing's name was Hougyoku. It was a dangerous creation. He probably felt that as well. He tried to kill Hougyoku, however in the end he could not find a way to destroy it. So he took the only method left to him. He had put a barrier around it and buried it deep within another soul to hide it. You understand now don't you?" He asked as he turned and faced Rukia who was still in the grasp of his hand. "At that time, the place he chose to hide it, was in you, Kuchiki Rukia."

"What…did you say?" Ichigo asked in question.

"When I found out about this, you had already disappeared somewhere in the real world. I had a hunch that it was Urahara Kisuke's doing. At one point he developed a reishi that could not increase it's energy. He used that to make a gigai that is impossible to lock onto. And then he left Soul Society. This is the only way for a Shinigami in a gigai to go missing. And there is one other reason why he left. Its because the Shinigami inside of the gigai will continually split its reiryouku. As a result, the Shinigami inside of that will never recover its reiryouku. Her communication with the gigai will become dull. In the end, that soul will completely lose all of its reiryouku. You will deteriorate from being a Shinigami, and become a mere human soul. Do you understand? It's not like he gave you power."

Renji, Ichigo, and Rukia looked on in horror from hearing what Aizen was telling, but most of all Rukia. She trusted Urahara to help her, but this felt like a horrible betrayal.

"By turning you into a human, he would be able to completely hide Hougyouku's whereabouts. Luckily, after a couple of months, you were found in the real world. Kein would have gone after you to find you sooner and would have led me right to you, but she had been reprimanded and tested for Hollow powers and was soon going to be sentenced to death. I immediately…"

"…made the biggest mistake of your life."

A voice interrupted strongly as a being appeared behind Ichigo. Ichigo struggled as he tried his best to look over his shoulder after being engulfed in a shadow. He gasped when the colors of light blues, reds, and yellows adorned on black cloth came into his sight and a familiar smiling gentle face looked down upon him as he called out, "…Kein!"


	2. Spell Bound

**Spell Bound**

Ichigo looked over his shoulder in shock as Kein stood above him in a proud and unmovable stature. Her body was resonating a very light, but dark glow as her eyes were piercing with a heavy determination. She was up to date with everything that had currently happened and she had heard everything that Aizen had babbled about in his usual arrogant intellectualism. However, the minute she took her eyes off Aizen, her expression changed to a very soft and gentle gaze as she looked down upon Ichigo with an almost angelic smile. She knelt down beside him and gently placed a warm hand upon his back. Seeing Ichigo still alive and for the most part well was deeply comforting to her.

"You sure have taken quite a beating haven't you Ichigo?"

Ichigo let out a light hearted, but exasperated chuckled as he reply, "Heh, and you l-look as if nothing has t-t-touched you."

"Shh, don't talk. Just save your strength okay? I can take it from here. I promised you I would come back and I promise that I will save Rukia. So don't you worry about a thing."

She leaned over and gently kissed him upon the head as he gasped slightly, not used to being given such gesture. The last time he was given a gesture like that was when his mother was still alive, but that was many years ago. Kein then stood up and withdrew her sword as she looked upon the battle field studying her distance to Aizen and how Rukia was being held. Renji wasn't too far from where Ichigo was and took that into consideration.

"Well it has been a while since our last greeting has it not, Kein Marasuna?"

The tension in the air could be cut with a knife. Despite the shocking news of Aizen's betrayal and him ultimately being alive once more, somehow in this moment it did not surprise Kein. She always had a strange sense about Aizen, never truly knowing if she could ever trust him even though she knew him as well as the other captains for many years. Like Gin, Aizen was one of those captains she just couldn't put her finger on and even now, she knew only so little about his intentions and what he truly wanted to do with the Hougyoku.

A small silence fell between the two before Aizen finally stated, "I never knew you to be so silent Marasuna."

She stared at him coldy as she replied, "What is there to say? I can neither convince you to let Rukia go, nor can I convince you to be what you obviously claim that you are not. So that leaves me with but one choice."

Raising her sword to eye level and placing a hand upon her forearm she called out "Ban…KAI!"

Her clothing transformed to dark tattered robes with tips of colors from her original clothing as her body took on similarities of her Zanpakutou spirit, Bankaguna. Even though Ichigo had seen Kein's Bankai before when they first met, it was still curiously strange to see in front of him. Her sword was now a beautiful scythe, but it was like he was watching death itself. Her aura was blackish red and her reiatsu changed the atmosphere around them as it felt heavy and thick.

"I'm sorry Ichigo, but this might be a little uncomfortable for you to bear so try to relax your mind and body while I take care of this."

She looked over her shoulder momentarily as she said "Just don't die on me," casting a smile his way as she turned her gaze back at Aizen.

"The Grim Reaper was it?"

Aizen asked in an almost mocking type of tone. "That is the nickname that the others have given you am I correct?"

Kein refused to answer as she wasn't in the least bit amused by him.

"The techniques of your Bankai are unique and is the only Zanpakutou known to be able to summon corrupted spirits. I know your techniques, but have never seen them face to face. How rare of an occasion such as this."

Kein let out an irritated exhale through her nostrils as she retorted, "Spare me your patronizing compliments. You may have seen my Bankai on rare occasions, but you have no idea what I can do. So let's get this over with."

"Are you so anxious to end your life?" Aizen asked with a jeering attitude.

"My life has already ended once. It can end again, but it won't be by your hands."

Kein was not a fool however, knowing that it would be unwise to try to attack Aizen head on, but she needed to close some distance between herself and Aizen. Using a flash step, she rushed towards Aizen until he was but ten feet away as she stopped abruptly in her path and called out her attack chant, however Aizen did not have time to deal with the unblockable attacks of her summoned spirits. Using the hypnosis of his Shikai form, he appeared suddenly in front of Kein, surprising her as she was interrupted in mid attack chant.

She watched as his body double that was holding Rukia had disappeared, not knowing if that was the real Aizen or if the Aizen before her was the real one. She did not have time to react as he merely held up a hand to cast a kido.

"Destructive Art 90: Black Coffin."

Kein gasped for she knew exactly what he was casting, but not only that, but he was casting it without stating its incantation. She knew he was highly advanced in the arts of kido, but had no idea how just how far his abilities reached.

Within seconds dark blackish purple strokes flashed from Aizen's finger tips, her body as well as a large area around her was encased in pitch blackness. Satisfied In the comfort of knowing that he had gained the upper hand on Kein and would soon see her fall, he merely turned his back and awaited for the sound of her body weight hitting the ground as the kidou flashed sideways, from its rectangular prison, deadly black spikes that would pierce and entrap its enemy with a similar effect of Byakuya's Shikai attack. However, just as Kein had warned; Aizen may have on rare occasion seen her Bankai, he was far from understanding the depth of what it could do despite her own kidou powers being rendered useless. What seemed like dimensional tearing, rips appeared forth into the atmosphere from outside of the black coffin that had encased Kein as the side that was facing Aizen had been shredded open.

"Hm?"

He looked slightly over his shoulder as he saw Kein appear from this strange tear in the atmosphere as she merely walked out of the kidou that surrounded her as it collapsed upon sight and entered through this tear. A shit eating grin was creased over Kein's as she walked out of the tear, it slowly sealing back up as the kidou behind her disappeared completely. Her eyes were devilish almost in appearance as she chuckled at Aizen's ignorance. However, it also appeared that she had not completely escaped the affects of the entrapping kidou as cuts could be seen all over her body and clothes as small areas of trickling blood could be seen as stains in her robes and smears around her eyes and mouth and yet she appeared to be unharmed by these injuries.

"You underestimated my Bankai's techniques out of shear arrogance. How pathetic."

This was indeed a surprise to say the least, but Aizen did not appear to be deterred by this minor setback.

"You are incapable of pulling off that technique in your Shikai form, but in your Bankai it seems you have the ability to not only rip open small dimensional tears into your opponent's soul for entry, but also into high ranking kidous such as the one I used just now. However, it seems you did not escape it completely."

She chuckled again as she looked over the cuts on her body while licking some blood from the corner of her mouth.

"Yeah, that may be, but I didn't take nearly the amount of damage that I _could_ have taken had I countered a second later, but who's strings are you trying to pull here? You may have been able to cast that kidou without using its incantation, but you didn't even release a third of its destructive power. It's difficult even for a captain such as yourself to control Watcher's Seat 90. Regardless, you should not make it a habit to underestimate me. I may not have taken up a seat in a captain's position, but I have been given a chance to become a captain nearly 10 times over and each time I _refused_. My rank could be anywhere from rank 3 or higher, maybe even above Yamamoto's. Who knows? But enough about me," she stopped as she laid her eyes upon Aizen's Shikai.

"Kyoukasuigetsu's complete hypnotism is flawless and rather aggravating if you ask me. The second someone sees your Shikai, they are stuck within its hypnosis until the day they die. Even if you realize you're under its affects, it's impossible to escape…or so it would seem."

Another small silence fell between the two as Kein continued, "Ever since you showed me that damn Shikai of yours, I've been trying for years to figure out how one would escape it despite you constantly chanting to me how it's impossible, but you know what I think? I think that _nothing_ is impossible. Everything has a flaw no matter how _flawless_ it may seem. I'm not going to pretend to completely understand your powers or your intentions for that matter, but there is one thing I do know…"

She stopped in mid sentence as placed her scythe in front of her and dug the end of it into the ground.

"…everything here is made up of a spiritual signal be it physical or mental. We are death gods and we may be able to bleed and even become stricken with illness, but it still doesn't change the barriers that hold us together."

Aizen held out his blade looking as if he was going to make another move.

"Your sword and your soul are connected. It is because of that _flaw_ that I will break free. Now…Bankaguna…Rei de…KARITORU!"

Within seconds a ghost like translucent clone seeped from Kein's body as it quickly entered inside of Aizen, stopping him from attacking as a spiritual connection was made between Kein's mind and Aizen's. However, the second the connection was made was then that Kein immediately knew something was wrong. Instead of her opponent's thoughts being clear cut and lucid, she was instead receiving fragmented waves of emotions mixed with subconscious wavelengths. For the 5 seconds the connection lasted, she wasn't able nor had time to try to make sense of what she had mentally just received, but it was because of this that it had saved her life. Although it seemed her soul double had entered into Aizen's fake body double, it was from this attack that she had broken Kyoukasuigetsu's hypnosis as she was immediately able to see the true Aizen as the fake body double disappeared and would never be seen again.

At the last second she was able to catch sight of Aizen coming at her. She angled her blade in such a way that it would deflect Aizen's sword attack from piercing straight into her heart, but it was not enough to keep her from going completely untouched as he countered the angle of her blade and used it as leverage to angle his blade into a different direction and pierced it downward through her abdomen and out through her back just inches above the hollow indentation mark on her back. Only she and her Inner Hollow and a select few others were aware of the crippling affects of being attacked or cut in her hollow indentation so for the moment being, she was relieved that Aizen had missed that area, however the area around the indentation was still more sensitive than other areas of her body.

"Well, this is troublesome. It seems you _did_ find a way to see through the hypnosis. Your Zanpakutou truly is a rare weapon. You are the first to have broken through Kyoukasuigetsu's hypnosis. However, you could have made it easier on yourself and broken through on the natural way."

Kein spat out a glob of blood as she struggled to deal with the pain shooting up her sides and abdomen area.

"W-What? There's a…a-another way?"

"You are a fool for showing me your technique of soul reading. It may have worked this once, but it will not work on me ever again."

"Kein!" Ichigo yelled in a concerned voice, but no matter how many fights she had been injured in, she could never get used to being pierced all the through her body with a sword or object of some kind.

"Normally a troublesome fly would be swatted away and killed, but sometimes even _insects_ have a purpose."

Suddenly pattering of feet and a voice could be heard in the distance, "Kurosaki!" Ishida and the others were running towards their general direction as they laid eyes upon the situation at hand.

"Don't come!" Ichigo commanded from afar.

Orihime looked on in horror as Rukia was sitting helplessly upon the ground, not able to move from being paralyzed by Aizen's sheer power. Aizen refused to remove his blade from Kein as he looked over his shoulder to see the other ryouka in the distance.

"Ms. Kuchiki!" Orihime yelled in desire concern.

"Hey, hey, you shouldn't move," Gin warned as he stepped in front of Rukia, facing Ishida and the others and released his reiatsu to overwhelm them and stop them from approaching. With Gin taking care of the other pests, Aizen looked back upon Kein as he quickly twisted his blade and shoved it further downward as Kein screamed out in pain. Aizen used his other hand to hold onto Kein's scythe to keep her from using it as he was now face to face with her.

"Things should not be as they are; that's what you said to me a month ago was it not?"

Kein did her best to try to keep her composure was she wanted to cast her gaze away from Aizen's eyes, but she could not.

"When you first became a Shinigami, from the beginning you were opposed to how things were run in Soul Society. You stated to me that you wish there was something you could do to improve things, but was unsure of your true role in taking part with this society. When you stated these things to me, it was then that I decided that for now I would not kill you, that your role has yet to be played a part in my plans."

Kein gasped as she wasn't understanding what Aizen was getting at.

"Soul Society is only the tip of the iceberg, just the beginning chapter to what can truly be reached, what has _yet_ to be reached. Things do not have to be what they are. I plan to change everything you have come to know and all you have to do is but choose to come with me."

Ichigo was listening intently to the conversation between the two intellectuals as Aizen shared just a little taste to Kein to his true intentions that had yet to be revealed, but most of all he was waiting for Kein's reaction.

"However, I know you won't decide this here and now so I will give you from here until next time we meet for you to choose between what side you believe yourself to be on, and what side you _desire_ to be on. There is plenty of time to make your choice, however I must impress to you that I do not take no for an answer."

Kein couldn't say a word as Aizen stood upright and withdrew his sword from her body as her back arched inward from the yanking of his blade as he then merely flicked his finger upon her stomach as a burst of his power shot forth and pushed her violently into the ground as blood spat out from her mouth.

"Kein!" Ichigo yelled her name once more as the force from Aizen's power had damaged her heavily.

Having finished his business with Kein, Aizen then turned his attention back onto Rukia as he picked her up by her collar once more.

"Now, where were we? I was rudely interrupted with our conversation. Ah yes, now I remember. Once you were found in the real world, I immediately massacred Room 46."

He began to drag her along once more as he was nearly finished with his conversation that he had started with Ichigo. Kein panted in and out upon the ground as she rolled on her side, clutching her stomach with one arm and grasping firmly upon her scythe with her right hand as she watched Aizen in the distance.

"You probably heard this from Isane. Aizen Sousuke feigned death in order to hide his whereabouts. Shortly afterwards, he killed Room 46, but that is incorrect. As soon as you were found, I immediately killed room 46 and cast Kyoukasuigetsu on all of the Central Underground's Senate. I made it look like room 46 was still alive and continuing its meetings. And then one of the three of us was always in the Underground Senate. From then until now, we have continued to act as Room 46 and control all of the orders. In order to assure your capture, I changed who was supposed to capture you to those two from the 6th Squad. To keep you away from the humans, I put out the order for the immediate return of your gigai. In order to completely vaporize your soul and remove Hougyoku from inside of you, I decided to use Soukyouku to execute you. We completely vacated the senate for only a few hours, including during the second Captain's Meeting. Directly after that, I faked my death and hid in the Underground Conference Hall, because I figured that there was a possibility that the execution would fail due to your efforts."

Kein slowly started to lift herself to her knees as she kept herself knelt down and upright, trying to regain her composure to make another attack, but she wasn't sure what would be affective against Aizen. The 5 second length of time she had gained entry to his thoughts through her soul double in his fake body double she was only able to make out fragmented emotions and thoughts from Aizen that confirmed what he had told her a moment ago. The thoughts she had received from him had something to do with an object called the Hougyoku, Hueco Mundo, and somehow creating Espadas. She already knew what Hougyoku was meant for and what he planned to do with it, but she had no idea where he planned to get 100,000 souls to create the Oken.

She figured he was going to Hueco Mundo to escape Soul Society, but what did that have to do with trying to create Espadas let alone how he would do so. She was highly confused and lost in thought as she continued to listen to him babel on.

"There are only two ways to pull out something which has been intertwined and buried within a soul. Have the outer layer and the soul be vaporized by something like the extremely hot destructive powers of Soukyoku and then remove it. Or, forcefully separate it by some method that directly interferes with the soul's composition. If in the one-in-a-million chance that the execution by Soukyoku failed, I had to find that other method."

Aizen pulled out from his robes what appeared to be a simple purple colored tube.

"In order to do that, I needed the information in the Underground Conference Room's Repository of Great Spiritual Books. I carefully went over Urahara Kisuke's past research. Since he was the one who devised the technique to combine and bury matter within a soul."

He clicked upon the top of the tube as small waves of vapors surrounded it.

"I figured that the technique to remove it would definitely be hidden within his research. So…" he stopped as sudden green spikes appeared from the ground around the two "…this is that technique."

Kein gasped as she struggled to her feet. She wasn't quite sure what to do since she above anyone else was one of the rare few that could even comprehend Aizen's abilities having been around him for so many years. Ichigo looked as if he was ready to attack as well despite his condition as Aizen's arm suddenly turned green and he stabbed Rukia through the chest with that hand. Pink colored lightning flashed forth from the tip of the ground spikes that surrounded him and Rukia.

"RUKIA!" Kein yelled in an angered panic as it was too late to do anything now. The entire area flashed forth a bright light momentarily as it just as quickly faded. Rukia fell to her knees as she was released from Aizen's hand as he pulled out a very small gem like crystal ball and sat between his finger tips as his hand quickly colored back to normal and the spikes around them disappeared.

"This is a surprise. It is such a small thing. This is Hougyoku."

The hole within Rukia's chest quickly closed up.

"Hm? The soul itself is uninjured? Such a wonderful technique! But this is unfortunate. I no longer need you. Kill her Gin."

Ichigo and Kein gasped once more as Kein was ready to attack just as Gin pulled out his sword.

"There's no helping it. Shoot her down, Shinsou."

The tip of Gin's blade extended as quick as the eye could see. Kein flash stepped to Rukia, but was beat to it as she stopped ¾'s of the way, skidding along the ground as she laid eyes upon another being that took Rukia from Aizen's hand and cradled her within his arms. "B-Brother…" Rukia spoke softly as it was revealed that Byakuya had saved her from death. The tip of Gin's sword was pierced into Byakuya's chest, but it was then withdrawn as blood splattered upon the ground and he fell to his knees, held up by Rukia.

"Brother! Brother, why? Why did you…"

"…Byakuya?" Kein interrupted in shock, having a previous strong distain for the man and then to suddenly see him save Rukia. Aizen approached them and was ready to attack, but Kein quickly jumped in front of the two as a voice from above in the sky cried out

"Let's go, Jidanbou! Scattered beat bones! Spire, Crimson Crystal, Steel Wheels! The wind if it moves, the sky if it stops, the tone of the spear striking fills the lone castle."

An incantation could be heard as a woman with black hair was upon the shoulders of Jidanbou as they were freefalling from the sky.

"Destructive Art 63. Lightning's Burning Howling!"

Suddenly a burst of yellow lightning pierced down from the sky upon Aizen. "Sister!" Ganju yelled as Orihime joined in "Mr. Jidanbou!" Aizen easily dodged, however a sudden blade was met to his neck. "This is another rather nostalgic face."

"Don't move," Yoruichi commanded. If you move a single muscle…" "…I'll immediately cut off your head," Soi Fon finished.

"I see," Aizen replied nonchalantly. Yoruichi turned her head towards a large stomping in the distance as she happily chanted, "Kuukaku!"

"Hey, Yoruichi!" I had too much free time, but Kein was kind enough to give me something fun to do. So here I am."

"Damn it, took you long enough!" Kein responded in irritation from behind.

"My, they're flashy!" Gin replied with his usual smile. "What should I do?" He lifted his hand to make a move, but it was quickly reprimanded by Matsumoto. "Don't move!"

"I'm sorry, Captain Aizen. I got caught."

"This is as far as you go," Yoruichi warned. "What did you say?" Aizen asked.

"Can't you tell, Aizen? You no longer have a place to run away to." It wasn't long before more Shinigami's and captains appeared upon the execution grounds.

"Aizen…"

"…Captain Aizen…"

"…it's over, Aizen." But the traitorous captain could only smile as a strange silence fell amongst the air.


	3. Defiant Will of the Heart

**The next story that takes place is **"In Death We Share"

**Defiant Will of the Heart**

"What's so funny?" Yoruichi asked in irritancy.

"I'm sorry. It's time."

Kein was the first to react as she instinctively knew that since Aizen was going to Hueco Mundo, that could only mean one thing…

"Hey! Get away from him you two!"

A sudden rectangular light flashed forth downward from the sky as Yoruichi and Soi Fon barely dodged away in time as Aizen as well as Gin and Tousen were engulfed in these lights.

"I-Impossible!" Ukitake belted as everyone watched in dismay. The areas that these lights were appearing from in the sky began to split open as imagery of Menos Grande could be seen peeking out from these dimensional tears.

"Menos Grande!"

"Gillian? Just how many are there?"

"No, there's something behind them!"

There was a large black hole in the sky and cracks in the atmosphere as a purple like slit could be seen behind the Menos Grande. "This is a little unfortunate. If only you had held onto me a bit longer. Goodbye, Rangiku." Gin looked over his shoulder to face Matsumoto one last time as he apologized, "I'm sorry." And for the first time, a sad expression had appeared on Gin's face. Within moments, the ground that Tousen, Gin, and Aizen were standing on separated as they were being levitated into the sky.

"Trying to run away?"

"Stop."

"Captain Commander?"

"That light is called Negashion," Yamamoto began to explain "Menos use it when they are saving one of their own. It's over once they're engulfed in the light. The inside of the light is its own impenetrable completely solitary world. Everyone who has fought with a Menos knows this. The moment that light was brought down, it became impossible to even touch Aizen."

"Tousen! Come down here, Tousen!" Komamura yelled in anger as he watched who he thought to be a close and trusted friend, float away from him into the sky as a betrayer and now enemy of Soul Society.

"I won't let you go! Why did you become a Shinigami? Wasn't it for your friends who perished? Wasn't it to fight for justice? Where did your justice disappear to?"

"I've told you, Komamura. All that is reflected in these eyes is a path covered in more blood. That is where justice already is. The path I walk _is_ justice."

Komamura could only look on in blinding anger as he chanted his ex-friend's name, "Tousen!" Ukitake looked on at Aizen as he asked "He's even joined up with the Menos? For what purpose?"

Ukitake and Aizen gazed at each other as Aizen merely answered, "To search for greatness."

"Have you fallen so low, Aizen?"

"You're too proud, Ukitake. From the very start, no one was standing in Heaven. Not you, not me, not even God."

He then removed his glasses as he slicked back his hair, revealing a much more sinister look as he continued, "However, that emptiness in Heaven which is very hard to endure, shall end. From here on, I will stand in Heaven. Farewell, the Shinigami. And farewell, human ryouka boy." Kein was now kneeling down next to Ichigo as the two watched Aizen ascending above to join with the Menos.

"For a human, you were truly interesting." Just before he entered the hole in the sky he looked upon Kein and said, "Kein, my offer will stand. Think upon what is and what _could_ be. I will be waiting until we meet again."

And within that last goodbye he entered into the sky and the dimensional hole closed up.

"Aizen," Kein spoke his name almost with pity.

It didn't take long before the Shinigami's and the captains that were on the execution grounds began to round everything up. "2nd and 3rd Patrols, take care of Captain Kuchiki! Vice-Captain Abarai has finished surgery up to the sixth phase! Patrols 8 and 9, get ready to move him! He's extremely injured. Carry him to the First Aid Station!"

Everyone was running around like a chicken with its head cut off as healing squads rushed about trying to fulfill their duties.

"Excuse me, 3rd Seat Iemura. What should we do?"

"Help with treating the ryouka." The two healing agents gasped slightly, "But…"

"…you should understand this already. They are Soul Society's saviors. However, Squad 13 Advisor, Kein Marasuna is still under arrest. It seems that ryouka over there is able to heal her somehow so once she is done being healed, she will be reprimanded. Now hurry!"

"Y-Yes sir!" Iemura looked over at Inoue as he watched her heal both Ichigo and Kein underneath a globe like golden aura.

"Even so, that ryouka woman, just what are her powers? Kein cannot be healed by regular kidou and yet somehow this woman can heal her with ease?"

His thoughts were distracted with the arrival of another captain however. "Well done, Captain Unohana! What is the condition of Captain Hitsugaya and Vice-Captain Hinamori?"

"For now, they have escaped death. The rest is up to them. Right now Isane is taking over the rest of the procedures. Who's remaining?"

"Yes! Captain Kuchiki and the ryouka boy. Although you are already informed that Kein Marasuna cannot be healed by regular kidou, it seems the ryouka woman over there can heal her."

Unohana looked over at Inoue and found it rather odd and strange as well to see that she is able to heal Kein. "Nonetheless, it seems that the ryouka doesn't need our help then."

"Huh? R-Really?"

Unohana kneeled down next to Byakuya, "You've pushed yourself too far, haven't you, Captain Kuchiki?" She then looked over at Rukia and asked her to come over as it seemed that Byakuya was asking for her as he began to tell her his true reasons for adopting her into the Kuchiki family and revealing that Rukia had a sister whom was Byakuya's deceased wife. Not only that, but he also explained as to why he seemed cold to her when she was being sentenced to death, being stuck between his promise to his parents and wife, but also to Soul Society's rules.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, I thank you. And Marasuna Kein, I also thank you."

Lifting his hand so that Rukia could take his hand in her own he said with a faint hear.

"Rukia, I'm sorry."

A soft horizon began to fall upon the now deceased execution grounds. Within a day everyone who needed healing was sent to the correct stations to finish off their healing sessions. The ryouka were given their own chambers until matters within soul society was to be finished and cleared, however everyone whom was affected most deeply by Gin, Tousen, and Aizen's betrayal were tucked away in solitude letting their thoughts guide them. Ishida had finished some clothes to wear for them to return to Human world as he handed Chad a strange looking shirt.

"Great, its done! We can't go back to the real world wearing funeral clothes. How is it? Its pretty good isn't it?"

Chad looked at it questioningly as he asked, "Isn't the design different? Wasn't it a bit more like this?" He questioned in his mind trying to remember the pattern of his shirt originally.

Ishida then handed a pink shirt to Inoue, "Since bleaching out the design didn't go very well, I put on a lace accent and used the remaining lace to make a small corsage by the hem."

Inoue looked at it as she pulled on the bottom part, "Th-This is kinda cute."

"Really? I made this also! I made a one-piece type of dress for Rukia based on the one she used to wear a lot, for when she returns to the real world." Inoue picked it up as she gleefully expressed, "This is cute too!"

"Ishida, you're more talented at making girl's clothes, aren't you?" Chad asked in a sigh.

"I'm going to show this outfit to Ms. Kuchiki!" Inoue belted in a bright smile as she took the outfit out of the room to go show Rukia. Ishida lifted up a thumb as he asked, "So how about it, Sado? Why don't you try it on for me real quick?" Inoue walked happily down the hallway as she eyeballed the dress for Rukia up and down.

"This is so cute! I wonder if Ms. Kuchiki will be happy. She hasn't felt very well lately, but I'm sure she'll cheer up when she sees this. Even so, how come Ishida made Ms. Kuchiki's outfit so cute? Oh, I-I get it! Maybe Ishida likes Ms. Kuchiki! Amazing. I figured it out! Inoue Orihime at age 15 used her great woman's intuition for the first time! That is it! That is it! Ms. Kuchiki!"

Peeking her head around a door frame as she called out to Rukia, but did not find her in the room. Ichigo was walking around trying to find Kein while avoiding Kenpachi, "That darn Kenpachi really chased after me. Seriously, he's no joke!"

"Kurosaki!" Inoue yelled out to him as she ran up behind him. "Wh-what is it? Inoue? What's up with those clothes?"

"Its awful!" She replied as it didn't take long before Inoue and Ichigo had explained to each other about trying to find Rukia and Kein as Ichigo dashed in a hurry, but passed by a window and saw Renji in the room connected to the window as he leaned in through it and yelled, "Renji!"

Immediately getting in each other's faces Renji retorted back, "What do you want, you jerk? I was just about to say something cool!"

"Oh, sorry. Do you know where Rukia or Kein went?"

"Kein…" he stated her name with a sigh, but then got surprised as he continued

"…wait, what's wrong with Rukia?"

"N-Nothing. It's okay if you don't know."

"How is it, Kurosaki?" Inoue asked as she suddenly popped up behind him. "Did you find Kein or Rukia here?" Kurosaki gasped asking her in reply, "How did you climb up here? Oh well. Sorry, Renji, Byakuya. I'm leaving."

"Excuse us, Renji and Mr. Byakuya." Renji was going to tell Ichigo about Kein's situation in detail, but he and Inoue had already left in a hurry. "Man, what's with those two? What's wrong Captain?"

"Well, that man surely didn't intend to call me by just my first name." Inoue was following closely behind Ichigo, "Where are we going, Kurosaki? Do you know where Ms. Kuchiki or Ms. Kein is?"

"Probably. If Rukia isn't with Renji, then that's the only other place. After we catch up with Rukia then we'll find out where Kein is. I don't really know Kein well enough to know her whereabouts, but Rukia should know."

It was within this time that Rukia had gone to visit Kuukaku to apologize for what happened to Shiba Kaien and for killing Kuukaku and Ganju's brother, but Ukitake had long ago explained to Kuukau the situation at hand and how Rukia was suffering because of it. And she decided that the day she heard Rukia's apology that she would let it all go. After Rukia had apologized Ichigo and Inoue had caught up to her. "So you were here after all. Come on Rukia, we need your help finding Kein so we can all go home. They said that they'll open the gate to the real world for us tomorrow. Your health isn't completely back yet, right? You should get together with Kein and get ready for tomorrow and rest early."

Rukia sighed as there was much she wanted to tell Ichigo.

"I was just thinking how you were the person I needed to tell this to the most. I'm thinking of staying behind here in Soul Society."

Ichigo just merely smiled, "Really? That's great."

His response shocked Rukia a little as he continued "Well, if that's what you decided on your own that you would like to stay behind then its probably better that way. I just remembered why I wanted to save you so badly."

"Hey Ichigo, so you finally came. What were you doing?" Kuukau interrupted. "Ms. Kaien! A walk!"

"No, well, um…"

"…you're leaving tomorrow? That's pretty sudden. I'll make some dinner, so everyone be happy!"

"No, um, we…Kein…" suddenly being punched in the face by Kuukau "…do you do that also? Don't make me say the same thing twice!"

"Well, um, you treating me isn't exactly the problem."

Kuukaku then suddenly did a double take as she replied, "Wait, did you say Kein…Kein Marasuna?" After rubbing his nose from bleeding, "Yeah, why? We've been trying to find her since she seemed pretty positive about coming back with us, but we can't seem to find her."

"Ichigo…" Rukia approached him with a rather long look on her face "…in the short time she was with you, did she tell you…"

"…yeah, she told me about her being sentenced to death and all for having hollow powers, but with recent events and her helping us as well as trying to rescue you, and since they've alleviated your charges, won't they do the same with her?"

Ichigo tried to sound optimistic in his question, assuming that Kein would get the same treatment as Rukia, but Rukia could only sigh more deeply, "No."

Ichigo gasped rather audibly as he began to yell, alarming Orihime, "WHAT? You mean after all this they're still going to kill her?"

"Well, not entirely. Although a day has only gone by, Captain Commander Yamamoto has taken it upon himself to re-sentence her but in the privacy of just him, herself and her captain, Ukitake. With everything that has gone on including with Sousuke Aizen, he didn't want to stir up more trouble or anxiety with the other captains. She has been given two options and some time to decide what she wants to do while being held in a holding cell. Her first option being, to be put to death as was originally planned and spiritually and permanently set free from this place and her duties. Her second option, at the behest of Captain Kurotsuchi, was not only to give up her Zanpakutou and have it destroyed, but to give herself up as a guinea pig and let Kurotsuchi experiment on her yo help further the study of the barriers between Shinigami and Hollows so that another Shinigami-Hollow hybrid can be avoided at all costs."

Ichigo gritted his teeth at hearing both options, either one being a horrible ultimatum.

"And? Which option did she go with?"

Rukia shot her saddened gaze back at him as she replied, "The second option."

Ichigo gasped once more. Although he's glad that she would still be alive, he felt it was a double edged sword. All Kein did was to help him save Rukia and still she was to be punished so severely for something that wasn't even her fault to begin with. Where was the justice in that?

"I'm sorry Ichigo. I was going to come find you so that I could bring you to her and have her tell you herself since she wouldn't be able to go home with you like you offered her to. She really wanted to…"

"…Kein is going to end up a lab rat and all you can do is stand there and be sorry?" Rukia was taken back by Ichigo's interruption, his tone so angry and sudden.

"Look, I know what it seems like, but you don't understand…"

"…what's there to understand? She makes herself an ultimate sacrifice and for what? So some guy can have a joy ride with her body in exchange for her life? Isn't she a friend of yours? Doesn't this make you angry? How can you talk so calmly about it like its no big deal? She went out of her way like everyone else to try to save your life!" Before Ichigo ventured into a further rage at the wrong person, a voice from behind him and Orihime rung out in a calm serenity.

"Well, well, well. You sure are something aren't you…Ichigo Kurosaki?"

Everyone spun around quickly at the direction of the voice to find Kein Marasuna standing behind them. They were looking at her as if they had seen a ghost.

"I knew Rukia would be here by now, but I wasn't expecting you two to be here as well."

She lifted a hand to scratch her head as she stated light heartedly, "Well, this throws a little wrench in my plan. I was going to make it a surprise too, but you just had to go and ruin it, didn't you Rukia?"

Rukia snapped back, "Kein! What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in the holding cells?"

Thinking for a moment as she shot up a playful gaze to the sky, "Well, I was. I mean, it won't be long now before the guard notices that the body double in the cell isn't actually me."

"Body double? What do you mean body double?" Rukia asked in confusion.

"Hey…wait a second, what the hell is going on here?" Ichigo asked irritatingly in the background of things." Kein just playfully answered Rukia, "Well not too long ago before the entire fiasco you created, Urahara was kind enough to supply me with a body double get away emergency set up just for a situation such as this. He knew it wans't long before they'd find out about my Hollow powers and would soon sentence me to death and he already knew what I had planned for, prior to escaping. So here I am, but I can't stay long. I gotta go before that dummy fades away in the holding cell."

"Wait, so…when they sentenced you…and you choose the second option…"

Ichigo interrupted as Kein finished his sentence "…that was merely a decoy. Oh and by the way, you have no reason to be angry at Rukia. I specifically requested her not to try to get you to bail me out especially considering everything that had just happened. Besides, by the time she'd come get you to go to my holding cell, my body double would already be expired and I assumed that you would understand that gesture as my way of saying that I'll see you later, but I had long ago planned my escape before Aizen decided to be a moron because there's no way in hell I'm going to be a lab rat, and I would rather die then sacrifice Bankaguna. Bankaguna is bound to me and I to him. For me to give him up just so I can live would be the ultimate betrayal and also the ultimate cowardice and I just couldn't do that. Besides, I may not have done the extensive damage that Aizen has done, but him and I agree that things around here need to change. I don't know when and I don't know how, but I hope that one day it will change for the better. And when it does? I'll return, but for now? I need haul my ass out of here. I don't have time to sit and explain everything else."

"Wait, so where are you going if not leaving with us tomorrow?" Ichigo asked earnestly.

"To the same place you're going, but not right away. I need to do a little bit of thinking before we meet again, but I promise I will come to you in due time."

Kein approached Kuukaku and Ganju and give her final goodbyes. "Thanks for everything and…thank you for helping Ichigo and his friends to save Rukia. Kaien would be proud."

The Shiba siblings smiled at her as Kuukaku gave her a deep satisfying grin. Kein then approached Orihime, "Thank you, Inoue, for having the courage to come here and help fight your way to Rukia's reach. I don't how you got those powers and exactly how they work, but if I ever need healing I now know where to go. Thank you for your healing." O

rihime smiled brightly, "Of course Ms. Marasuna. I'll be glad to heal you anytime you need it."

And then Rukia, "Of all the possibilities that could have happened, I feel that this is the best path taken and I don't think I could have gotten there without Kaien's…or your efforts. You've been a good friend Rukia and I hope from years to come it stays that way. I will always be by your side, even if I'm not physically present. Kaien entrusted you with his heart, and I now entrust mine. So keep it safe okay?"

And then the two embraced warmly. "I'll do my best," Rukia responded.

It had been a while since she was given such a warm embrace. It reminded her of Shiba Kaien's warmth. And last but not least, Kein approached Ichigo as she looked up at him into those golden brown eyes. "Ichigo…" she started, finding it a bit difficult to be in his presence, not quite sure what to say as she blushed slightly "…in the short time I've known you, I feel I can completely trust you with anything. You have such a big heart and a sense of justice that reaches far beyond what anyone here can give. To think that had I not shown up that you would have bolted into Seireitei to get me out despite everything that's happened. That's…that's more than I could ever ask for or expect from anyone. I can't thank you enough."

Kein's eyes began to well up with tears slightly as a small silence fell amongst all of them.

"Thank you…for helping me to become stronger."

Kein then looked up at him as she smiled brightly, the tears she felt coming on now being pushed back as a sense of new found hope entered into her heart for better things to come, but she wasn't exactly the type for sappy endings as she playfully bantered, "Maybe next time, I'll properly kick your ass," she stated as she patted him on the shoulder and began to walk past him.

"I'll see you on the other side, Ichigo Kurosaki. Just don't forget me okay?"

Looking back over her shoulder as she glanced back at him one more time as they both caught each other's gaze, "Of course. Just try not to get lost in the human realm. I'll be irritated if I have to be your personal search party."

Kein chuckled in response as she jumped into the air and tapped her finger upon the atmosphere as a Hollow type of garganta opened up the dimensions between Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, "You're a Shinigami with orange hair; kind of hard to lose track of that."

The garganta opened fully as she entered inside it as the small group below watched her. Rukia didn't say anything as she already knew that Kein was in possession of hollow powers for complicated reasons, but it was still surprising to see her use them. The garganta began to close as she and Ichigo locked gaze one last time, "Goodbye Ichigo. We will meet again, I promise."

And then the garganta closed the dimensions as Kein was no more to be seen. Ichigo smiled, knowing that it wouldn't be too long before he would see her again on the other side so it gave him a sense of peace. Kein watched slowly as the image of Ichigo and the others faded into darkness.

Shifting between dimensions without a watch could easily skew one of their sense of time as Kein arrived in Hueco Mundo, home of the Hollows and Espadas. She had no choice, but to venture here first before she could use her garganta to then venture back into the Human world, but in doing so she was merely struck with temptation to follow by Aizen's side. She was standing idly in the middle of the desert as she looked up at the dark and blackened sky to find it with but a single crescent moon. The colors in Hueco Mundo were so monotone and grey; a perfect setting to metaphorically symbolize Aizen's intentions of being neither good nor bad, just simply not completely understood. It was however not in her intention to betray even though she had already left Soul Society and had no intention of going back. It was also not in her intention to drop her sense of honor or obligation to Soul Society simply because she was not there anymore.

Her friends and captain will always live on in her heart and mind and will always do her best to protect that which had been by her side since the beginning when she first ventured into soul society, but most of all she could never have the hear to betray that which Shiba Kaien so aggressively protect. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself so it was also not in her intention for anyone to further by hurt by the tragedy and betrayal of Aizen's actions, neither did she want to benefit Aizen for whatever he was planning on doing. However, no matter what was in her heart, she could not deny the temptation that Aizen had offered.

As she looked on in the distance at what appeared to be a pure white walled city, knowing Aizen was most likely there, she couldn't help but wonder and be curious as to what he truly was planning to do as to what he truly had intended. She wanted things to change just as much as he did, but at what cost? How far was Aizen willing to go? And that is what scared her the most. Advice was one thing, but she did not trust his judgment. Somehow, despite everything that had just happened with Rukia, she knew that this was not the end with Aizen. She knew that her life would be put on the line once more and a lot sooner than she was probably willing.

She took in a deep breath and sighed as she turned her gaze from the pure white city as she tapped her fingers upon the atmosphere to open her garganta once more. As she slipped inside she was going to close the dimensional rip that is until a voice barked out at her from down below.

"What the hell is this? A Shinigami using a garganta? You don't look like an Espada, but that ability only Hollows and Espadas can use. Just who the hell are you?"

She quickly looked down upon the sparkling sand as she spotted an image of a man standing idly with his hands in his pockets, but his appearance was anything but ordinary. Her eyes widened as the first thing she noticed was the color of light blue hair that shined under the moonlight. It was just like her own and out of all the monochrome colors she saw in Hueco Mundo, this light blue hair stuck out the most as her eyes slowly followed downward in direction as the next thing she easily spotted was what appeared to be cat like electric blue eyes. The minute their gaze caught her own, a deep chill went up her spine. She was looking into the eyes of a man that showed no fear nor pleasant attitude since his tone was loud, clear, and forceful even.

The next quite noticeable feature of all was what appeared to be an external jawbone and immediately she knew this guy must be an Espada or Arrancar of some sort since only these type of hollows had humanistic features, but with a Hollow hole and mask, which was the fourth thing she quickly took notice of as she saw the man's Hollow hole to be in the middle of his stomach area being hugged by rather tantalizing abs. This blue haired devil was wearing rather large tent like white hakama pants accompanied by black shoes with white stripes, but the only other thing he wore was a small white and black jacket that didn't have much care of covering anything so his physique was easily seen and made her blush at the sight.

"Hey, I'm talking to you! What's wrong girl, cat caught your tongue? Huh?"

Her heart began to race at hearing his voice. It was so abrupt and alarming, but also was electrifying to her and so alive. There was something about this man that got under her skin, but in a good way, not only that but it didn't take much for her to be able to sense his reiatsu. It felt huge, but he currently didn't have it active like Kenpachi did with his so she wasn't quite sure where his power level lied, but it didn't matter. As interesting as this man seemed from the get go, she had other obligations and could not stay much longer, however without warning the man was one second upon the ground and the next up in the air and looking straight at her from a mere feet away. It took her by complete surprise, however considering she could _also_ use the Espada's form of flash step she was surprisingly able to follow his movement.

"Don't make me come in there and drag your ass out girl, now answer my question. Just who the hell are you?"

Although he had made a move, he still hadn't attacked her yet so it helped her to calm a bit so that she could finally answer him.

"My name is Ke-huh?"

Being such a complete distraction, she had accidentally let go of her hold on the dimensional rip as it finally began to close.

"N-No wait! WAIT! MY NAME IS KEIN…"

But it was too late as the garganta closed as it transported her to the Human realm.

"…Marasuna," she finished her sentence in disappointment. She wasn't ready for that gate to close as her interest had so quickly peaked from meeting that man. She wanted to know who he was as well and wanted to answer his question, but somehow she knew that wouldn't be the last time she would see him. As she floated in mid air in the Human realm she felt also that maybe it was best that she wasn't in Hueco Mundo too long. She didn't want to be tempted to venture into Aizen's realm. It would be like being tempted by the devil himself. She would be afraid that maybe he would give her an offer she couldn't refuse, but then thoughts of Ichigo entered her mind as her attitude quickly shifted.

Despite her personal inner conflicts about Soul Society, her moral sense of honor and obligation refused to let her venture to thoughts that conflicted with her new found loyalty to Ichigo, Rukia, and maybe even Ichigo's friends. Without any further interruption or hesitation she ventured out to look for Ichigo to start her new found path, but before leaving the area she had teleported to, she looked back and smiled at the thought of the blue haired man as she said, "I guess I'll just have to wait to meet you again…Mr. Jawbone."


End file.
